California Wine Community · ability as winegrape growing and winemaking practices that are sensitive to the environment (Environmen-tally Sound), responsive to the needs and interests

2009

S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y R E P O R T

California Wine Community

P r e Pa r e d b y t h e C a l i f o r n i a S u S ta i n a b l e W i n e gr o W i n g a l l i a n C e

WINE INSTITUTEthe voice for california wine

About the California Sustainable Winegrowing AllianceThe California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 2003 by Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) to conduct public outreach on the benefits of widespread adoption of sustainable winegrowing practices, to enlist industry commitment and involvement, and to assist in effective implementation of the Sustainable Winegrowing Program (SWP). CSWA’s mission is to ensure that the California wine community is recognized as a change leader in the global marketplace. CSWA collaborates closely with Wine Institute and CAWG, thousands of growers and vintners, and other stakeholders in California. CSWA also continues to develop partnerships for funding education and outreach to advance the adoption of sustainable practices. The result of this work will be a healthier environment, stronger communities, and vibrant businesses.

About Wine InstituteEstablished in 1934, Wine Institute is the premier voice effectively representing wine worldwide. With membership of more than 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses, the organization initiates and advocates public policy that enhances the ability to responsibly produce, promote, and enjoy wine. Wine Institute works to bolster the economic and environmental health of the state and its communities by encouraging sustain-able winegrowing and winemaking practices and through a partnership with California Travel and Tourism to showcase California’s wine and food offering. The membership represents 85 percent of U.S. wine production and 90 percent of U.S. wine exports. To advance the goal of global leadership in sustainable winegrowing, Wine Institute contributes significant staff time

and resources to the Sustainable Winegrowing Program. Wine Institute publishes and distributes newsletters about the program (see www.wineinstitute.org) and participates in alliances – including the California Environmental Dialogue and the Cali-fornia Council for Economic and Environmental Balance – that bring together stakeholders to concentrate on sustainability, land use policy, and other issues affecting California.

About California Association of Winegrape GrowersThe mission of the California Association of Winegrape Grow-ers (CAWG) is to provide industry leadership to advocate public policies, research and education programs, sustainable prac-tices, and trade positions to improve the viability of winegrape growing as an essential contributor to California’s economy, cul-ture, and landscape. CAWG’s membership represents the grow-ers of approximately 60 percent of the total annual grape crush. CAWG co-hosts the annual Unified Wine & Grape Symposium to deliver information and ideas for continual improvement of the state’s wine community, and sponsors research and develop-ment of publications such as Growers’ Guide to Environmental Regulations & Vineyard Development, California Vineyards & Wildlife Habitat, Summary of the Labor Law Requirements for Winegrape Growers, and The Winegrape Guidebook for Es-tablishing Good Neighbor and Community Relations. CAWG has also played a leading role in the National Grape & Wine Initiative, a strategic research, education, and outreach plan to stimulate innovation and accelerate best practices adoption to help the wine community increase market share and be a world leader in value and sustainability while contributing to quality of life in rural communities.

“California is proud to have wineries and winegrape growers who are committed to serving their communities and promoting socially and environmentally responsible farming practices.”

– Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger 2009 California Wine Month Proclamation

3

California Wine Community SuStainability report 2009

introduction Chapter 1

4 California Wine Community SuStainability RepoRt 20 09

“California’s wine community has advanced efforts to be responsible

stewards of the land and good neighbors, as well as

strengthened its viability as businesses that contribute

significantly to the state’s economy and appeal as places

to work and visit.”

– Robert P. (Bobby) Koch President & CEO, Wine Institute

“The scale on which California’s wine community is adopting and expand-

ing sustainable practices is truly impressive, as the state is the

fourth leading wine producer in the world. CSWA’s mission is

to bring recognition to the California wine industry as a change

leader in the global marketplace. The result of this work will be

a healthier environment, stronger communities, and vibrant businesses.”

– Kim Ledbetter Bronson CAWG Board Chair, Vino Farms

“When you discuss sustainability within the California wine community,

it is not just a statement of a program but an imbedded

philosophy that we live by each and every day. It is the

commitment to this philosophy and the very positive

impact it has on our businesses that will ensure the

continued growth of the California wine industry long into the future.”

– Chris Savage CSWA Board Chair, E.&J. Gallo Winery

introduction

tHe CaliFoRnia Wine Community Sustainability Report 2009 shares progress made through the Sustain-able Winegrowing Program (SWP) over the past five years. California winegrape growers and vintners have proven to be responsible stewards of the land and good neighbors, while maintaining the long-term viability of businesses that contribute significantly to the state’s economy and appeal as a place to live, work and visit. This is not surprising considering our business is domi-nated by families committed to the land and to their local communities. Our sustainability program grew out of the passion shared by growers and vintners to be leaders in producing the finest quality grapes and wines with sustainable practices that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible.

The continued, widespread participation of the wine community has been essential to the success of the SWP thus far. The program has been further strength-ened by the involvement of external stakeholders, including scientists, non-governmental organizations, government officials and other experts who have provided resources and expertise to the program. These external stakeholders have helped make sustainability part of growers and vintners’ everyday efforts.

The production and publication of this report is an expression of a core value and tradition of the Cali-fornia wine community to openly share information with all stakeholders in order to advance the industry as a whole. To our knowledge, the SWP remains the only program in which an entire sector measures the level of sustainable practices among its members on a continuous basis and reports the results publicly. The report presents the results for all areas where sustain-able winegrowing practices information was collected. At the heart of the SWP is the philosophy of continu-ous improvement. Although the report reveals many strengths – highlighting areas where growers and

winemakers are doing an exemplary job of balancing environmental, social and economic principles in how they practice their business – California growers and vintners are committed to improving all areas of their operations. Addressing the most challenging areas will require time, money, innovation and, in some cases, outside expertise, new technologies, an improved regu-latory framework, incentives, and partnerships.

Since its launch in 2002, the statewide program has energized our wineries, winegrape growers, and re-gional associations as a collaborative effort that brings us together for a common purpose. The program challenges us to continue to find new ways to conserve resources, maintain and improve the beauty and vitality of our rural communities, and place California wine at the forefront in wine and grape quality, environmen-tal sensitivity, and social responsibility. The program represents a great legacy to pass on to future genera-tions of winegrowers, and serves as a model for other agricultural sectors.

Following this chapter, which highlights programmatic progress, and chapter 2, which provides guidance on report interpretation, the assessment results for 14 areas of sustainable winegrowing practices are present-ed as separate chapters, reflecting the chapters covered in the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook. Chapters include: viticulture, soil management, vineyard water management, pest management, wine quality, ecosystem management, energy efficiency, winery water conservation and quality, material handling, solid waste reduction and management, environmentally preferred purchasing, human resources, neighbors and community, and air quality – a new chapter added to the second edition of the Code workbook (2006). The report concludes with a chapter on lessons learned and next steps envisioned for the program’s evolution.

CHapteR 1 introduCtion 5

6 California Wine Community SuStainability RepoRt 20 09 CHapteR 1 introduCtion 7

about the California Sustainable Winegrowing program

Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) partnered to design and launch the Sustainable Winegrowing Program (SWP) in 2002. The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alli-ance (CSWA) was incorporated a year later to continue implementing this comprehensive program. These three organizations collaborate and work with many other stakeholders, guided by the mission, vision, and approach of the SWP summarized below. MiSSion

The long term mission for the SWP includes:

• Establishingvoluntaryhighstandardsofsustainablepractices to be followed and maintained by the entire California wine community;

•Enhancinggrower-to-growerandvintner-to-vintnereducation on the importance of sustainable practices and how self-governance improves the economic viability and future of the wine community; and

•Demonstratinghowworkingcloselywithneighbors,communities and other stakeholders to maintain an open dialogue addresses concerns, enhances mutual respect, and accelerates positive results.

ViSion The vision of the SWP is the sustainability of the Cali-fornia wine community for future generations. In the context of winegrowing, the program defines sustain-ability as winegrape growing and winemaking practices that are sensitive to the environment (Environmen-tally Sound), responsive to the needs and interests of society-at-large (Socially Equitable), and economically feasible to implement and maintain (Economically Feasible). The combination of these three principles is often referred to as the three E’s of sustainability. These important principles are translated into information and education about specific practices that are docu-mented in the program’s comprehensive the Code of

Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook and are conveyed during the program’s tar-geted education events that are aimed to encourage the adoption of improvements over time. SWp appRoaCH: a CyCle oF ContinuouS iMpRoVeMent The SWP is designed to stimulate a “Cycle of Con-tinuous Improvement” among growers and vintners by enabling them to evaluate their operations, learn about new approaches and innovations, develop action plans for improvements, and implement changes to increase their adoption of sustainable practices. The cycle consists of:

a) Providing participants with the Code workbook, a practical self-assessment tool, and workshops;

b) Measuring and tracking the results of self-assessments;

c) Using customized reports to show participants their performance against statewide averages for wineries, and regional, similar size operations and statewide averages for vineyards;

d) Offering important information and educational opportunities about sustainable practices, focused on areas needing improvement to help participants develop Action Plans;

e) Facilitating exchange of information among growers and vintners; and

f ) Motivating participants to implement effective changes.

about the California Wine Community

The California wine community is integrally tied to the state’s land, natural resources, and workforce. Vine-yards require a significant investment in financial and intellectual capital to design, plant, bring to first har-vest, and then manage productively over time.

Duringthe2008harvest,California’sapproximately4,600winegrowersprovidedCalifornia’s2,843winerieswith3.06milliontonsofwinetypegrapes.1 Red wine varieties accounted for the largest share of all grapes crushed at 1.72 million tons, while white wine varieties totaled1.35milliontons.Chardonnaywastheleadingwinegrape variety crushed, comprising nearly one-fifth of the winegrape volume, followed by Zinfandel, Cab-ernet Sauvignon, French Colombard, and Merlot. The farm gate value of the winegrape tonnage was more than$1.8billion.

Winegrapesaregrownin48ofCalifornia’s58counties,covering526,000acres,with482,000bearingacresand44,000 non-bearing acres. Winegrapes are the third leading agricultural crop in revenues for the state’s farmers. California is the leading agricultural state in the nation with annual gross farm receipts at more than $33billion.

California produces an average 90 percent of all U.S. wine with about 240 million cases per year. Wine is the state’s number one finished agricultural product in dol-lar value. If California were a nation, the state would be the fourth leading wine-producing country in the world behind France, Italy and Spain. California wine has an economicimpactof$58.9billiononthestate,count-ing revenues to the wine industry and allied industries, direct, indirect, and induced economic benefits.2 The industryprovides330,000full-timeequivalentjobsthroughout California. Wineries are an important at-traction for nearly 20 million tourists who visit Califor-nia’s wine producing regions each year, with tourism generating more than $2.1 billion in expenditures. Members of the wine community understand that

visitors come to experience high quality wines along with California’s diverse and beautiful ecosystems.

Morethan50regionalwinegrowerandvintner associations provide education, community outreach, and marketing services to local grower and winery members. These organizations often serve as the grassroots link to communities, universities and local regulatory bodies, and are key partners in the SWP.

_______________________

1 California Department of Food and Agriculture Final 2008 Grape Crush Report.

2 Economic Impact of California Wine 2009, Stonebridge Research.

8 California Wine Community SuStainability RepoRt 20 09 CHapteR 1 introduCtion

Statewide Sustainability Workshops Since 2002, 1,566 wineries and vineyard organi-zations have self-assessed their operations in over 200 workshops, and 9,239 vintners and growers have attended 184 targeted education events in winegrowing regions throughout California.

one or more workshopsheld since november 2002.

Participants are encouraged to assess themselves again, to continue this cyclical process of evaluation, learning, action planning and improvement.

the California Wine Community’s Growing participation in the SWp A prominent feature of the SWP is the active leadership and participation by vintners and growers in all phases – from development, refinement and on-going imple-mentation to adoption of the practices in their wineries and vineyards. Overall guidance for development of the Code workbook was provided by the Sustainable Wine-growingJointCommittee,comprisedof50individualsincluding members of Wine Institute and CAWG who represent all major winegrowing regions and small, medium, and large vineyards and wineries.

Self-assessment utilizing the Code workbook, repre-sents the first phase in the Cycle of Continuous Improvement. As mentioned in the 2004 report, the

initial goals for self-assessment participa-tion were surpassed during the first round of workshops. By 2004, the goals were exceeded by 16.1% for vineyard acreage (26.1% assessed, goal 10%) and 40% for winery case production (50.6%assessed,goal10%).

As demonstrated in the updated figures on pg. 10, participation in self-assessment work-shops has continued to grow. Since 2002, 1,566wineriesandvineyardorganizationshave self-assessed their operations in over 200 workshops. These statistics demonstrate a 66% increase in total number of distinct vineyard and winery organizations participating in the program since the 2004 report, with these organizationsrepresenting68.1%ofthe526,000totalstatewideacresand62.5%of240million

total statewide cases. In addition, there has been a 66% increase in vineyard acreage assessed with data submit-ted,anda39%increaseinwinecaseproductionthathasbeen assessed with data submitted (as of October 2009.) See pg. 16 for participation numbers in the program’s targeted educational workshops and events.

Wineries that have assessed their vineyards are also included in the vineyard assessment numbers. Nearly all California wineries own vineyards with some having significant vineyard holdings and many purchasing ad-ditional grapes from other sources for use in their wines.

SelfAssessmentWorkshops

CustomizedReports

ActionPlan

Targeted EducationWorkshops

SWP CYCLEOF CONTINUOUSIMPROVEMENT

Self Assess

Develop ActionPlan to Improve

InterpretPerformance

ImplementChange

9


the California Wine Community’s involvement in other related programs

Many of the state’s diverse winegrowing regions have sustainable and environmental programs which provided the foundation for the statewide SWP. These programs, as well as organic and biodynamic wine-growing, play an important role in the ever-expanding tapestry of the California wine community’s efforts to “green” the industry. In addition to broad participa-tion in the SWP, many vintners and growers are also active in the following educational and certification programs. CSWA partners with a number of these or-ganizations for self-assessment and targeted education workshops to help leverage our respective resources and areas of expertise. lodi SuStainable WinegRoWing pRogRaM and lodi RuleS Lodi Wingegrape Commission

Lodi Winegrape Commission established a sustainable viticulture program in 1992, with the first edition of the Lodi Winegrower’s Workbook serving as the model for the viticulture chapters of the Code workbook. In 2008, the Lodi Winegrape Commission published the

second edition of the Lodi Winegrower’s Workbook, which is a comprehensive self-assessment addressing the complex processes of growing quality winegrapes sustainably – including ecosystem management,

vineyard establishment and replanting, viticulture, soil management, water management, pest manage-ment, human resources management, shop and yard management, and wine quality and customer satisfac-tion. In 2009, 68 growers participated in workshops where they used the 2nd edition workbook to assess their vineyard practices and create action plans. These growers manage 30,000 acres of winegrapes in the

Lodi region.

In addition, in 2009, thirty-four growers participated in the Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing Pro-gram (Lodi Rules), a certification program adminis-tered by Protected Harvest, with sixteen thousand acres in more than 300 vineyards certified. Launched in 2005, Lodi Rules is a third-party certified program that addresses not only pest management issues, but also soil management, water management, ecosystem management, vineyard establishment and human resource issues. There are currently 15 wineries using the Lodi Rules logo on more than 25 different wine labels.

napa gReen Napa Valley Vintners

Napa Green is a comprehensive program for land-use and wine production. This voluntary program is open to all Napa County vintners and grape growers and focuses on building environmentally sound, sustain-able practices that meet and exceed more than twenty local, state, and federal land or production “best practices”.

Napa Green Certified Land is a third party certi-fied, voluntary program for Napa County vintners and grape growers that seeks to restore, protect, and enhance the regional watershed. The program includes farmed vineyard land, as well as non-farmed and wild land, roadways, steam banks, and drainage within a specific prop-erty. Approximately 33,000 acres are enrolled in the program and 16,900 acres are certified, with thousands more about to receive official certification. The certification is in partnership with Fish Friendly Farming, National Marine Fisheries Service, the Napa County Department of Agriculture’s Department of Pesticide Regulation, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board, among others.

VineyaRd data CoMpaRiSon 2004 2009

number of distinct Vineyard organizations 813 1,237

total Vineyard acres farmed by the 1,237 organizations 223,971 358,121 (68.1% of 526,000 total statewide acres)

number of Vineyard acres assessed by the 1,237 organizations 137,859 241,325 (45.9% of 526,000 total Statewide acres)

number of Vineyard organizations that Submitted assessment results 614 868 (70.2% of 1,237 total organizations)

total Vineyard acres from 868 organizations assessed and Submitted 124,576 206,899 (39.3% of 526,000 total Statewide acres)

WineRy data CoMpaRiSon 2004 2009

number of distinct Winery organizations 128 329

total Winery Cases produced by 329 organizations 145.6m 150m (62.5% of 240 million statewide cases)

number of Winery Cases assessed by 329 organizations 126.6m 141.5m (59% of 240 million total statewide cases)

number of Winery organizations that Submitted assessment results 86 173 (52.6.9% of 329 total organizations)

total Winery Cases from 173 organizations assessed and Submitted 96.8m 134.6m (56.1% of 240 million total statewide cases)

total indiVidual paRtiCipantS • 1,851 individual participants (individual has attended a self-assessmentworkshop or signed up for the online self-assessment system; may or may not have provided assessment data)

SWp by the numbers


AndersonandUkiahvalleyareas.Startingin2008,FFFwas also directly involved in solving a serious water supply issue in the Russian River watershed working closely with the Mendocino, Sonoma, and state farm bureaus, wine and grape commissions, local water districts, and grapegrowers.

bay aRea gReen buSineSS pRogRaM Administered by the Association of Bay Area Governments

The Bay Area Green Business Program is a network of local programs offered by the nine Bay Area coun-

ties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma). Launched in 1996, the program has certified more than 2,000 small businesses – includ-ing32wineries–fortheirefforts

to conserve energy and water, minimize waste, pre-vent pollution, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Participating businesses include wineries, restaurants, hotels, retail shops, and professional offices.

To be certified, applicants must comply with environ-mental laws and implement enough measures in their facilities and operations to meet the “beyond com-pliance” standards. Program checklists recommend dozens of environmentally-preferable practices to help prospective green businesses choose what they will do to meet the standards, and plan for ongoing improve-ments. County staff and program partners provide technical assistance and visit the site to verify that all certification criteria have been met.

In addition to the nine San Francisco Bay Area coun-ties, the counties of Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito, SantaBarbaraandSanDiegoandtheCityofSantaMonica have established similar programs. oRganiC National Organic Program

Wines labeled as “organic” or “made with organically grown grapes” are produced with grapes grown with-out synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or fun-

gicides for a period of at least three years. Instead, soil enrichment, pests, weeds, and vine diseases are man-aged through the use of organically-approved materials, cover crops, and hand-working the soil.

The key difference between “organic” wines and wines “made with organically grown grapes” is that bottles labeled “organic” do not have added sulfites, which prevent oxidization and spoilage. Labels for “organic” and “made with organically grown grapes” wines are approved by the U.S. Tax and Trade Bureau and the National Organic Program.

Because multiple companies are accredited to provide organic certification, it is challenging to determine an aggregate number of winery facilities and California vineyard acreage that has been certified. California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), the country’s larg-estorganiccertifier,certified85wineriesand10,318winegrapeacresin2009.Anadditional33wineriesand vineyards are certified under Stellar Certification Services,Demeter’sorganiccertifier(seeBiodynamicbelow).

biodynaMiC Demeter Association

In order for a winery or a vineyard to refer to itself as Biodynamic®, it must have achieved certification through DemeterAssociationbyadheringtotheDemeterFarmStandard for a minimum of three years if conventionally farmed, or a minimum of one year if organically farmed. The entire farm, or vineyard, must be certified, not just a portion of land within the farm. Farms are inspected annually to ensure that the Standard is being met.

The Farm Standard reflects the Biodynamic principle of the farm as a living organism: self-contained, self-sustaining, and following the cycles of nature. It is a regenerative organic farming system that focuses

Napa Green Certified Winery, founded in 2007, was developed by the Napa Valley Vintners in co-ordination with the Napa County Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and is based on the Green Business Program (see below). The winery-specific checklist puts all the regula-tory pieces into a comprehensive format that goes beyond compliance and includes water conservation, energy conservation, pollution prevention, and solid waste reduction elements. Once the program is complete, the winery is certified by the DEM, the entity providing independent third-party certification. In 2009, 19 wineries were certified Napa Green.

Sip VineyaRd CeRtiFiCation Central Coast Vineyard Team

The Sustainability in Practice (SIP)TM Certification includes both requirements and man-agement enhancements for 10 chapters that cover conservation and enhancement of biological diversity; vineyard acquisition/

establishment and management; soil conservation and water quality; water conservation; energy conservation and efficiency; air quality; social equity; pest manage-ment; continuing education; product assurance; and business sustainability. Requirements include practices which must be completed as well as prohibition of the use of specific high risk chemicals. Management enhancement practices allow growers to earn points based on additional, non-required, but suggested man-agement strategies. Also included within the document is a farm plan which is required for certification and includes documentation, reporting, and written exam-ples of practices throughout the certification standards. In order to be eligible for certification, a grower must achieve at least 75% of the available points, which is

verified by an independent records and on-site inspec-tion. Final certification is granted by a third-party advi-sory committee of government, academic, and industry experts who review the blinded auditor reports.

In 2009, over 11,000 acres were certified, represent-ing 42 vineyards owned by 24 organizations. There are currently 50,000 cases of SIP certified wines, whose eli-gibility is determined through a chain of custody audit. Additional cases bearing the SIP Seal will be available as ’08 – ’09 wines are released.

FiSH FRiendly FaRMing California Land Stewardship Institute

Fish Friendly Farming® (FFF) Environmental Certi-fication Program started in 1997 and focuses on a comprehensive system of site assessment, improved management measures, and project implementation to achieve measurable environmental improvements. Each site must implement a minimum of 60 differ-ent BMPs. Over 120,000 acres are enrolled in the FFF program in Solano, Sonoma, Mendocino, and Napa counties,includingtheapproximately33,000acres

enrolled in Napa Green Certified Land. The FFF certification provides a regula-tory approval and includes a third party objective certification completed by three government agencies. As a result oftheFFFprocess,250milesofdirtroads,85milesofbluelienstreams,35miles of river corridor, and hundreds of miles of ephemeral waterways have been assessed and improved to protect

water quality and restore habitat.

The FFF program implements projects in collaboration with landowners. Recent examples include: restora-tion planning with landowners for 10 miles of the Napa River and 12 creeks in the watershed; Arundo donax removalandnativeplantrevegetationon15milesofcreeks in the Suisun/Wooden Valley Creeks watershed; invasive plant removal and native plant revegetation on 10 creeks and river corridors in other watersheds; re-moval of fish migration barriers on three creeks in the Russian River; and storm-proofing of roads in the


was created with significant input from the SWP Joint Committee and external reviewers. Web-baSed SelF-aSSeSSMent and RepoRting

Another major improvement to the program since the 2004 report was the introduction of a website (www.sustainablewinegrowing.org), which includes a web-based self-assessment and reporting system. In addi-tion to offering participants the option to complete and submit their self-assessments online, the system gives vintners and growers the ability to generate their own customized sustainability reports, link to other web-based resources, and develop and save action plans for improving practices.

targeted education events As part of the Cycle of Continuous Improvement, CSWA and regional grower and vintner organizations collaborate to develop and facilitate educational events that target the more challenging areas in sustainable winegrowing. Many participants in these workshops have already attended a self-assessment workshop and received a customized, confidential report comparing their sustainability performance with peers statewide and also on a regional and similar size level for vine-yards. Targeted education events such as workshops, field days, and seminars support participants’ efforts in action planning and implementing more sustainable vineyard and winery practices.

CSWA solicits input and involvement from growers, vintners, government agencies, industry experts, and scientists to provide event content on areas in need of improvement, as identified by self-assessment results.

Targeted education events generally last one-half day and focus on topics such as integrated pest manage-ment, air and water quality, ecosystem management, and energy efficiency. Often, events are held at demon-stration vineyards or wineries that feature cost-effective innovations. Adapted to regional needs, targeted edu-cation activities provide venues for fruitful exchanges of information among peers, and sometimes include time for participants to develop action plans.

Below are examples of topics that have been included in targeted education events. Many thanks to our partners for their financial support and additional expertise.

aiR Quality

funder: uSda natural resources Conservation Servicetopics: air laws and regulations, dust mitigation, diesel engine upgrades and conversions, energy conservation and low-emission sources, alternatives to burning, air- and climate-friendly vineyard equipment, mitigation of pesticide emis-sions, reduction of vineyard greenhouse gas emissions and increase in carbon sequestration, and uSda cost-share and incentive programs. eCoSySteM ManageMent and biodiVeRSity

funder: national fish and Wildlife foundationtopics: habitat and wildlife conservation in/around vineyards, watershed management and water quality protection, erosion control and soil conservation methods, cover cropping, an ecosystem approach to pest management, and incentives for ecosystem management. eneRgy eFFiCienCy

funder: pacific Gas and electric Companytopics: energy evaluation and planning, energy efficiency methods in vineyards and wineries, alternative and renewable energy, water efficiency and the connection to energy use, green building, links between winery and vineyard energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and offsets, and information on free winery energy audits, equipment rebates and techni-cal support services. integRated peSt ManageMent

funders: american farmland trust and California department of pesticide regulationtopics: pest monitoring and prevention via cultural and biologi-cal tactics, economic thresholds and other decision-based in-dices for treatments, effective use of reduced-risk pesticides and general pesticide stewardship, releases and management of natural enemies, environmentally friendly sprayers and weed management equipment, encouragement of predators of vertebrate pests, and relevant laws and regulations.

WateR ConSeRVation and Quality

funder: uSda natural resources Conservation Service

on soil health, the integration of plants and animals, and biodiversity. The crop that results from a certified farm is Biodynamic, so in the case of a certified winery or vineyard, the grapes harvested are Biodynamic grapes. However, in order for certified grapes to result in certi-fiedwine,theDemeterWineProcessingStandardmustalso be met. The intent of the Processing Standard is to minimize manipulation of the ingredients as much as possible to fully express the Biodynamic agricultural ingredients. The Wine Processing Standard has two labeling categories: “Biodynamic Wine,” the most rigor-ous category allowing the least manipulation, and “Made with Biodynamic grapes.”

In2009,43Californiawineriesandvineyardsarecerti-fiedbyDemeterAssociationasBiodynamicorintransi-tion,representinganestimated3,500acres.

SWp Self-assessment and reporting to benchmark progress

The centerpiece of the Sustainable Winegrowing Pro-gram is the Code workbook, which covers 227 criteria and practices used in vineyard and winery operations.

The workbook, first published in 2002, benefited from the collective knowledge and experience of the 50-memberSWPJointCommittee,inputfromre-gional grower and vintner organization members and staff, and external reviewers that included research-ers and farm advisors, government agencies, and environmental and social equity groups. The original Codeworkbookisdividedinto13chapters:viticul-ture, soil management, vineyard water management, pest management, wine quality, ecosystem manage-ment, energy efficiency, winery water conservation and quality, material handling, solid waste reduction and management, environmentally preferred purchasing, human resources, and neighbors and community. In 2006, a fourteenth chapter on air quality was added to the second edition.

The workbook embodies a systems approach, highlight-ing the inter-linkages between many topics and prac-tices covered in these chapters. The self-assessment workbook includes a measurement system, whereby participants assess their practices according to a four-category continuum on 227 criteria – with category one capturing practices that meet regulation or are considered to be the minimum level of sustainability and category four capturing practices considered to be the highest level of sustainability. Participants volun-tarily contribute data to the program to measure their adoption of sustainable practices.

In addition to being used to produce customized reports that detail individual winegrape growers’ and vintners’ results relative to statewide data (and to regional data and similar size operations data for vineyards), aggregated self-assessment data is reported widely and transparently in CSWA Sustainability Reports. The first California Wine Community Sus-tainability Report 2004 documented results, identified strengths and opportunities for improvement, and set goals to increase the use of sustainable practices. Follow-up reports, such as the 2006 interim report and this 2009 Sustainability Report, track ongoing progress. All of these reports are available for download at www.sustainablewinegrowing.org. In addition, CSWA shares assessment results with other wine and winegrape associations to tailor workshops and events for local winegrowing regions.

SeCond edition WoRkbook

In fall 2006, a second edition of the self-assessment work-book was released. This version incorporates improvements based on participant feedback, changes in regulations, and other updated information. It includes new educational boxes on heat stress and soil ero-sion as well as a new criterion

relevant to soil erosion. The most significant addition to the second edition is the Air Quality Chapter that


energy efficiency

CSWA began a beneficial partnership with Pacific Gas andElectricCompany(PG&E)in2005toaddressEnergyEfficiency, which was identified as an area of opportunity for industry-wide improvement based on the California Wine Community Sustainability Report 2004 self-assess-ment data. CSWA worked with PG&E and other experts to develop an educational binder tailored for each work-shop, as well as content for workshops series that were held in winegrowing regions throughout the state.

The initial series – Energy Efficiency 101 - focused on a broad spectrum of issues, including energy evaluation and planning, energy efficiency methods in vineyards and wineries, alternative and renewable energy, water efficiency and the connection to energy use, and infor-mation on free winery energy audits, equipment rebates and technical support services. Later, CSWA and PG&E launched a more targeted workshop series focused on green building, the sustainable management of winery water and related energy, and climate protection.

Since the partnership began, the California wine com-munity has reduced their use of electricity and natural

gas, and employs more green building elements in their wineries. As of April 2009, the partnership has yielded the following measurable results:

•29workshopswith910participants

•5-foldincreaseinthenumberofenergyefficiency projectssince2005(359total)

•$6.25millioninPG&Erebates

•$20.5millioninsolarincentives

Thisefforttranslatesintosavingover55millionkilowatthours of electricity, enough to power a community of over8,500forayear.Italsoeliminatedover30,000tonsof CO2 emissions, the same as removing 4,226 cars from the road.

In addition, CSWA saw marked improvement in the results of self-assessment data, with vineyards increasing average scores in 7 out of 7 criteria and vintners increas-ing average scores in 7 out of 10 criteria (see Chapter 9).

topics: water laws and regulations, deficit irrigation and other water conservation methods, road design and maintenance, cover cropping, stream and riparian area restoration and man-agement, buffers, filter strips, nutrient analysis and needs, and uSda cost-share and incentive programs.

Number of targeted education events, 2004-2009: 184

Total number of participants in events, 2004-2009: 9,2393

Targeted education is a key facet of the Cycle of Continuous Improvement and, as demonstrated by the following two examples as well as the data depicted inChapters3-16ofthisreport,partnerships,education,and outreach have led to significant improvements on the ground. ______________________

3Please note, this is a cumulative participation number; some participants attended more than one event.

integrated pest management (ipm)

CSWA directed its first targeted education activities to criteria and associated practices in the Pest Manage-ment chapter. Grants from American Farmland Trust supported a commitment over two-and-a-half years to increase statewide winegrower performance beyond baselines established in the California Wine Commu-nity Sustainability Report 2004. A more recent two-yeargrantfromtheCaliforniaDepartmentofPesticideRegulation enabled CSWA to establish a Pest Manage-ment Alliance that extends this project, and expands it to table and raisin grapes.

To allocate resources for maximizing impact, a cost-effective extension model was developed and executed to complement self-assessment. The first step of the model involved detailed analysis and interpretation of the baseline data for pest management so lower-scoring criteria that warranted particular attention could be identified for each region. Regional summaries of self-assessment data, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for improvement, then were shared strategically with partner organizations (winegrower associations, university extension, regulators, and other stakeholders) to achieve collective understanding and buy-in. For the final step, CSWA and partners provided targeted education on IPM by combining peer-to-peer education with presentations by technical and regula-tory experts.

Over the course of the project, CSWA and partners achieved the following:

•Established31demonstrationvineyardstoshowcaseIPM practices

•Organizedandconducted130workshops,field meetings, and seminars throughout California ad-dressing pest management and related issues with 7,449 participants in attendance4

•Increasedgrowerperformancefor35ofthe38pestmanagement criteria (see Chapter 6)

•Achievedgreatestincreasesforprioritizedcriteria,i.e., pest and disease monitoring, economic thresh-olds, reduced-risk pesticides, cultural tactics, reduc-tion in area treated, predation by vertebrates, and several weed management criteria.

These improvements substantiate the value of linking assessment data to prioritized education for effectively increasing the adoption of sustainable practices.

_____________________

4 In addition to American Farmland Trust and CA Depart-ment of Pesticide Regulation, partial funding for these workshops was provided by grants from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Risk Management Agency, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.


wastewater produced and associated energy required for treatment; minimize the water and energy needed for heating and cooling operations; and optimize the effectiveness of land application systems for waste-water treatment. This document builds on research and other activities undertaken by the Environmental Working Group of Wine Institute’s Technical Commit-tee. CSWA and PG&E co-hosted workshops featuring the Guide throughout the state. By working with the National Grape & Wine Initiative and regional wine associations, workshops were also held in other states.

ReduCing RiSkS tHRougH SuStainable WinegRoWing: a gRoWeRS’ guide (December 2008, Funded by USDA Risk Management Agency)

CSWA published the freely available Reducing Risks through Sustainable Winegrowing: A Growers’ Guide, to demonstrate how adopting sustainable methods

reduces risk and can be an effective management strategy to enhance the long-term viability of businesses. The guide uses best prac-tices from multiple sources including industry, academic, and government experts to address water conservation and efficiency, water quality protection, soil conserva-

tion and management, air quality protection, human resource management, energy conservation and effi-ciency, integrated pest management, weather monitor-ing and preventive planning, selection of appropriate insurance policies and tools, and proactive business planning and management.

VineyaRd ManageMent pRaCtiCeS and CaRbon FootpRintS (May 2009, Funded by USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, administered by CA Department of Food and Agriculture)

CSWApartneredwithUCDavisscientistsandotherwine, table, and raisin grape organizations to undertake a literature review to better understand the carbon footprint of vineyards. A carbon footprint can be

defined as a comprehensive measure of the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced and consumed, and is used to determine whether or not individual operations are contributing to the increase of atmo-spheric GHGs and, therefore, global climatic change. This handout is intended to provide an introductory characterization of vineyard practices affecting GHG emissions and carbon sequestration, including fossil fuel consumption, nitrogen fertilizer application, irriga-tion, tillage, cover crop management, vineyard pruning and tilling, and hedgerows and native vegetation.

undeRStanding adoption and iMpaCtS oF SuStainable pRaCtiCeS in CaliFoRnia VineyaRdS (July 2009, Funded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation)

In2008,CSWAworkedwithUCDavisscientiststocarry out a statewide survey of 101 SWP participants to identify their motivations and barriers for adopting sus-tainable vineyard practices, their perceived impacts of the practices, and their feedback on the effectiveness of the SWP. Summarized responses showed a remarkably high level of adoption of sustainable practices. About 60 percent of the surveyed winegrowers reported using 10 or more of the 16 environmentally friendly farm-ing practices included in the study. The six most-used practices,adoptedby80percentormoreofthe growers, include:•regularmonitoringofpestinsectsand/ordiseases

•useofreducedriskpesticides

•reducedtillageorno-tillapproaches

•conservationofnaturalvegetationonvineyard property •leafpulling,and •planting cover crops in the vineyard.

Winegrowers offered various reasons for adopting these practices, with the most common reason being concern about the environmental impacts of farming operations, including conservation of natural resources, such as soil. The economic benefits of the practices are also important, with practices such as monitoring for pests and diseases, monitoring water use, plant-

educational resources and tools

In addition to releasing a second edition and web-based version of the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Self-Assessment Workbook in 2006 and the aforementioned targeted education events, CSWA has developed new resources and tools to further disseminate useful information on sustainable winegrowing practices. All publications are available online.

SWp WebSite

CSWA’s www.sustainablewinegrowing.org website serves not only as the portal for the web-based version of the Code workbook, but also as a resource in and of

itself. The site provides an extensive list of resource links to a number of educational resources and publica-tions that provide more in-depth information regarding specific sustainable practices.

SuStainable WinegRoWing HigHligHt neWSletteRS

Wine Institute produces a series of newsletters on sustainable winegrowing to highlight specific practices that members and SWP participants find useful in their wineries and vineyards.

inteRnational Wine induStRy gReenHouSe gaS pRotoCol and aCCounting tool (January 2008, Funded by Wine Institute and partner organizations; additional funding from USDA NRCS is being used to create a web-based version)

Wine Institute partnered with the New Zealand Wine-growers, Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, and the South African Wine and Spirit Board to develop the

International Wine Industry Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Accounting Tool. With increased attention to climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and offsets, the goal of the project partners was to pro-vide a free, easy-to-use, wine industry specific, GHG protocol and calculator to measure carbon footprints of winery and vineyard operations of all sizes. CSWA has helped disseminate the protocol and tool and is developing a user-friendly web-based version.

biodiVeRSity ConSeRVation pRaCtiCeS in CaliFoRnia VineyaRdS: leaRning FRoM expeRienCeS (March 2008, Funded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation)

CSWA, along with collaborating winegrape growers, and scientists from UC Cooperative Extension and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, carried out an assessment of bio-diversity conservation practices focused on the North Coast region of California. This publication summa-rizes information from the study and related research and experiences. It is intended to provide insights about vineyard practices for increasing biodiversity that can be used by vineyard operations throughout Califor-nia and beyond to promote adoption of practices that enhance biodiversity.

CoMpReHenSiVe guide to SuStainable ManageMent oF WineRy WateR and aSSoCiated eneRgy (July 2008, Funded by American Vineyard Foundation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company)

Wine Institute and the American Vineyard Founda-tion published the Comprehensive Guide to Sustainable Management of Winery Water and Associated Energy to give wineries of all sizes tools for self-assessment

to make improvements in environmental performance and to lower overall pro-duction costs for water and energy use. Practices in-clude steps to reduce source water use in cleaning and sanitation; minimize use of cleaning products and other chemicals; decrease the volume and strength of


•International Conference on the Future of Agriculture: Science, Stewardship and Sustainability•NapaValleyViticultureFair•InternationalAssociationofCulinaryProfessionals•OregonWineSymposium•PesticideApplicatorsAssociation •SixthInternationalCoolClimateSymposiumfor Viticulture and Oenology •SoilandWaterConservationSociety

International Conference •ThirdAustralianWineIndustryEnvironmental Conference•UnifiedWine&GrapeSymposium•WaterReuseAssociation•WesternPlantHealthAssociation •WhiteHouseConferenceonCooperative Conservation

“The organization of the content in the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing

Workbook, and the step-wise logic of how to increase the sustainability of your

vineyard and winery make the workbook an excellent, real-life teaching tool.”

- Dr. Merilark Padgett-Johnson, Viticulture Program Professor, Santa Rosa Junior College

ing cover crops, and reducing tillage associated with significant cost savings. Several practices, such as leaf pulling, also improve the quality of winegrapes.

SWp recognized as a model programThe SWP is creating environmental and social benefits for communities and for the state as a whole, and is helping to ensure that future generations will be able to continue to produce world-class wines and contribute to California’s economy. Importantly, the SWP is also a model for other agricultural sectors and businesses, as recognized by the following awards:

•California Council for environmental and economic balance (CCeeb), governor edmund g. “pat” brown award (2005) A prestigious award, named on behalf of the found-ing Chairman of CCEEB, recognizing organizations and individuals that exemplify the principles of environmental and economic balance.

•governor arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor’s en-vironmental and economic leadership award (2004) California’s highest environmental honor recognizing individuals, organizations and businesses that have demonstrated leadership and made notable contribu-tions in conserving the state’s natural resources, pro-tecting and enhancing the environment, and building public-private partnerships.

•California environmental protection agency, integrated pest Management innovator award (2003) An award giving public recognition to those who develop and promote methods for pest management that reduce the risks associated with using traditional chemical approaches.

Another indicator of success in promoting the adoption of sustainable practices among the state’s wine com-munity has been the increased mention of the SWP and individual winery and vineyard practices in various publications.

Among the media outlets in which the SWP has been mentioned are:•CapitalPress

•ContraCostaTimes•FresnoBee•ModestoBee•NapaRegister•OaklandTribune•SantaRosaPressDemocrat•SacramentoBee•SanFranciscoChronicle•CNN.com•KTVUFoxNewsTV•NationalGeographicTV•PracticalWineryandVineyard•Reuters•SacramentoBusinessJournal•VineyardandWineryManagement•WallStreetJournal•WineBusinessMonthly•WineMarketReport•WineSpectator •WinesandVines In addition, CSWA shares information with the wine community and other sectors by accepting invitations to make presentations or to host vineyard and winery tours to showcase the SWP for numerous audiences, including:•AmericanSocietyforEnologyandViticulture•Brewers&VintnersScientificSymposium •CaliforniaAssociationofResourceConservation Districts •CalCANAg&ClimateChangeConference •CentralCoastVineyardTeam’sSustainableAgExpo•CentralValleyGrapeandRaisinExpo•CookingforSolutionsSustainableFoodsInstitute•EPA’sNationalPartnershipSummit•FresnoState’sGrapeDay•GrapeandRaisinExpo•GreenWineSummit•GreenAcresBlueSkiesConference

22 California Wine Community SuStainability RepoRt 20 09

“We partnered with the New York Wine and Grape Foundation

and the National Grape and Wine Initiative to present the Guide

to the Sustainable Management of Winery Water and Associated

Energy at a workshop for 41 industry participants from New York

and Pennsylvania last March. Several ideas – such as using a timer

to standardize tank-washing – can be implemented right away at a

low cost, helping wineries generate less waste and saving associated

energy and labor costs. The water management guide is a valuable

tool to help winery owners make informed decisions about manag-

ing their production practices, water, and energy use.”

– Timothy E. Martinson, Ph.D. Senior Extension Associate, Statewide Viticulture Extension Program, New York State Agriculture Experiment Station

Documents

California Wine Community · ability as winegrape growing and winemaking practices that are sensitive to the environment (Environmen-tally Sound), responsive to the needs and interests